Article that talks about how although the 'IAC' is a great opportunity for rookie idols to try to do their best or excel in a certain field to get their names in the headlines, it's becoming a crutch for busier idols who don't have the time to spend nearly two days recording for it.

One idol group said they couldn't attend but MBC was adamant that they come no matter what so the idol group's company lied and said they had another schedule to attend to. MBC eventually found out that there was no "other schedule" and placed them under a ban from their shows as punishment.

This basically scared the other idol groups into being forced to attend, and it's become controversial because idols are already expected to be talented in singing, dancing, acting, variety, and now on top of all of that, sports. Not everyone is obviously going to enjoy or even excel at sports so broadcast companies are being called out on their use of force/power over these idols to get their way.

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1. [+349, -8] Taking the show off air is the only solution

2. [+317, -11] They're not doing the singing they were hired to do. Instead they're on variety shows, acting, and sprinting.

3. [+280, -9] Stop milking this program already. No one cares anymore.

1. [+31, -1] Aside from SM and YG, idol agencies are completely at the mercy of these broadcast channels... Complete mercy. I think MBC is the absolute worst when it comes to abusing this power. They play everything up as a Hallyu concert when they're basically running these idols overseas for free while taking all of the profits for themselves. Then they play this crap up as some athletics competition and end up injuring the kids... Aside from 'Radio Star' and 'Infinity Challenge', MBC is completely ruined... They're using their power to work these idol kids like their slaves..

2. [+30, -0] The show stopped being fun when idols kept coming out of it hurt. Has there ever been an episode where not one idol was injured? There's always one or two that come away with injuries... Let the idols rest over the holiday breaks. They don't have a chance to spend time with their parents as it is.

3. [+28, -0] The first two times was fun but now it's boring because it's all the same stuff.

4. [+27, -0] Who watches the whole thing anymore? People just watch edited clips of their favorite idols or watch other channels until it's time for their idol to come out. Nobody is going to sit there watching the entire thing.

5. [+27, -0] The most recent 'IAC' started recording at 8 a.m. and finished the next day at 5 a.m.... And three came out injured.

idols are considered products. You train them and use them for as long as you can, then discard when they don't have use anymore. Hence, the maddening schedules of trying to make as much of them as quickly as possible and training replacement models in the factory.

Ooooo I wonder who it is. I doubt it's anyone from yg or sm. I think it's probably a mid tear group seeing that mbc went to such an extent to ban them all together. It's probably not a rookie bc mbc is not getting anything out of rookies attending or not. Unless its like one of the more popular ones. So it doesn't leave us with much choices. Did 4minute attend?

This is just plain stupid. Some of my favorite groups didn't attend, but they had actual activites overseas that were probably ALOT more beneficial than 22 hours of filming for a pretty pointless "championship". Judging by the treatment MBC is giving out right now, I honestly don't blame those who didn't want to attend in the first place...

Makes me wonder is MBC is like this with idols on their other shows. Poor Kyu was running back and forth between Korea, Japan and China for all his schedules. Wonder if he asked for a break from RS for a few weeks and was rejected...

Wow MBC is so desperate for ratings on this idol Olympics, they have to force idol groups to come. They probably only did this because there were a lot of rookie and mid-tier groups, no way MBC would pull this with SM, YG or other top idol groups. I hope the companies wise up next year and just ditch the IAC, it's just a huge waste of time & puts idol on danger of injuring themselves.

i don't know who's in charge of MBC these days but that person sure seems to be angry...first canceling 'low rated' shows but keeping the even lower rated WGM...basically forcing fans to stay put in the same venue for over 22 hours without food/water/adequate bathroom areas during IAC...and now this..way to be discreet MBC...

Mbc acting like a beotch again... I agree... Just cancel that show.so unneccesary.. Everytime it comes, it leaves more than one idol out of business all injured... And as we know then companies just give then painkillers and throw them back to theirsxhedules... Its not worth the injuries and suffering

I think they banned lee seung gi for rejecting to appear in their drama and of of course it was lifted as....AS he rised and had immensenly popularity it was lifted....that time he was basically a popular singer and yet to mark his debut in drama.......

Wow, what a revolutionary thought but....This is life honey. We're all trained [school], use them as for as long as you can [jobs] and then discard them when they don't have use anymore [you suck at a job/you retire].

Maybe they are since Eunjung is the new host for MBC show champion and Jiyeon is going to be one of the hosts for the MBC music wave in Bangkok.Not to mention the chicken brand that T-ara endorses was one of the sponsors for the Idol Olympics.

I think Minho was just there to babysit Exo 'cause SM can't pass up a chance to advertise their new group by association and MBC wanted the ratings/articles because Minho's known as one of the best athletic idols because of Dream Team and having won previous times on IAC.

...no? Normal people with normal careers aren't "used" by their jobs. If they don't like their current jobs, they have the option of going out and looking for other jobs without the worry that their whole careers would be over or they'd never be able to work again.

Idols are treated as commodities by their companies because their companies generally tend to have 100% control over them. The company doesn't want their idols to have cellphones--they won't. They want to feed their idols on a diet of 6 sweet potatoes a day--done. The companies make them do whatever they want them to do no matter if it will cause physical or mental trauma and then when they don't sell enough or get too old, they're dumped for the newest thing.

No one who is just living a normal life is treated like this by their companies.

It's true that it's harder for idols to just get up and leave without going through some legal actions, even so they still have every right and power to leave their company if they are horribly treated. They chose this life, this career path, and just like everyone, I'm pretty sure they know the downfall of being an idol.

May I add that I think it's pretty naive to think that there aren't people living a "normal life" who are treated badly by a company/boss. For example, there are caretakers/nannies/etc who are treated like they're a piece of rag by their bosses, but they still chose to stay and work, just so they can earn money for their families. Also, there are some people, like factory workers, who don't even have a choice, but to work endless hours for super low salary, just to make sure they food on the table.

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